When a user receives a phone call today, the phone network sometimes provides a caller-identification (caller ID); that is, the phone number of the party that is calling. Sometimes, the telephone network also sends a short name if it finds the short name in a directory managed by the network. This helps the receiver make a decision about whether to answer the call and if so, how to prepare for the call. Unfortunately, a caller ID system has a number of problems. Caller ID information is not always available. When the caller ID information is unavailable, the receiver usually sees the message “Unknown” or something similar.
Additionally, caller ID does not provide very rich information. In most cases, the information provided is just the phone number. In some cases, it is just the number and a short name. Some mobile devices solve part of this problem by matching the number to a contact card that is stored on the phone. However, matching the number to a stored contact only works if the user has previously stored this information in a contact entry on the mobile device receiving the call.